New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-05
FAILURE OF THE FoRrIFIcATIoys BILL

The cONFrREEs AT THE LAST MOMENT ANNOUNCE
AFI>AL DIsAGREEME@T.
WASHINGTON, March 4 tSpeciah.-The XLIXth
Congress died without making any provision whatever
70. land defences either tor the current comiu
year There is not one dollar in the Treasury which
can be applied that purpose. For this state Of
saars which places Congress in contempt OF the
try and con yicts it of criminal and wiiul neg gence
the Democratic conferees solely. and one OF thrm
Sa,uuel D. Randall. mainly Responsible. Late last
night he assured anxious nqarers that an agreement
would DE coon reached and bill passed in time 20
cei,e the Presidents approval. Subsequent proceed
ngs however did not yindcate the sincerity OF these
assurances The y am truth is that the hrst Yer.
Randall has shown the greatest Indifference TO the tate
OF the bill and many OF his acts have been such as
might DO fairly attributed to man who hostile 10
every attempt to provide Tor he National defence
Only twenty minutes of life remained to the XLIXth
Congress when Representative torney rose with
sha-taced look and announced the nal disagreement
OF the the Fortinoations bill lie had not
the Lear TO attempt to justify apologize tor the re-
suit, and begged Mr.. Randall to undertake 1t. Tho
Pennsy lvanian tor once absshed HE iron law
Taxed, and after stumbling through few sentences
like q school boy struggling with half-forgotten
lesson, be surrendered the hoor to Major Butterworh
the Republican confcree He too found his task
dicult one, all the pie asant because he had
been sincerely anxious that bill should be passed.
Mr. Butterworth's explanation OF the faid was IN
satisfactory lie assured the House that II the con-
ferees could have had more time to consider the sub
iect" the differences might have been adjusted and all
difficulties overcome, whereupon, General Cutoheo1
asked what amount OF time would have been regarded
as sufficient in view of the fact that the bull Tad been
In the hands of the conferees since last July
This question staggered Bnttsrworth and he did not
rally sufficiently TO enable him to answer it satisfac
torly. He equally unhappy IN his oHorts to show
that the views OF the Democratic conierecs OF the
House. II adopted, would not excluded bnilt-up
steel guns from competition and resulted IN commit
ting the United States to cast iron guns which have
been discarded by every other civilized nation Major
Butterworth's remarks this branch OF the subject
aroused Mr.. Reed, and the two men Immediately be-
game engaged in bot controversy in which the
The House accepted the report
La the Senate Mr.. Dawes presented the conte ence
report. He SAID that the plan winch the Senate
ferees Lad submitted to the committee was expressed
In the torn of bill which he would have printed in
@Tn9 Record" ana along with it be would have
printed the plan submitted at the last moment by the
House conferees. The country would judge between
these prof. ositions The rreeOncilabe difference be-
tween the Senate managers and House managers was
guns OF the highest type. The question might DO
summed in one sentence, Whether steel guns should
be snbordnated TO east-iron guns, cast-ron guns
sub0rdinated to the highest type of steel guns.
Mr.. Hawley, another OF the conterees said that he
desired &c emphasize this most extraordinary condition
Of afsrs- There was no Fortheatons bill tor the
current year, for the neSt year. lie had coubt
whatever that, il the whole subject could have boem
LETT open to the f aud elaboration OF Congress
something would have been done which would have
been credit to the country. He knew that there had
been hanging around the halls aud corridors OF the
Capitol me1 representing the Haskell gun and tho
1nscvent concern that wanted 70 we've
Men had tried to tie Congress to these worn out old
projses, but they hsd completely tailed Thanks to
3oe patriotism, Congress had agreed to order vessels
for the Navy and guns of the most modern type tor the
ships and It had been placed within the hands OF the
Secretary Of the Navy TO enter into contracts for
~ 600 tons of forged steel OF the best class.
Mr. 0orman, the third copfcree t ought that Moth
Of hs fsilow conferess had stated the matter fsTly
After long conference al had agreed that the board
she I'D consst Of the Secretary OF War; the Secretary
q The Navy, the General Of the Army and two civil
lens - b. appointed b. the President The propos-
~ had come up to buy 600 600 worth Of steal to